Abstract

Through an overview of selected chapters in this section we navigate the state of the art of different materials with crucial structural features at different length scales. It includes a discussion on hierarchical biomaterials like silk, new aerogels with enhanced thermal and mechanical properties, and infrastructure materials like wood, concrete, and asphalt, whose complex composition leads to specific modeling challenges. The wide range of materials discussed cover different length scales from nano- to macro-, and different macroscopic properties, e.g., from soft to stiff. All of them together represent a selection of case studies that exemplifies the importance of multiscale modeling and simulation in combination with experimental techniques to design and develop more sustainable materials for structural applications in the future.

Notes

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge support from the US Department of Defense – Office of Naval Research (N00014-16-1-233), National Institutes of Health (U01 EB014976), and US Department of Defense – Air Force Office of Scientific Research MURI (FA9550-15-1-0514).